NAME CHANGE OF PRETORIA
Cllr Pieter de Necker

CITY OF TSHWANE COUNCIL MEETING
- 31 JULY 2003

=== Embargoed till 14:30 on Thursday 31 July 2003 ===
Mr. Speaker,


With reference to Annexure A2, Report 7, a process has been set in place by
the Mayoral Committee to change the name of Pretoria. From the outset the
African Christian Democratic Party wants to make it clear that we are not in
support of such an action. Although this report is just a process plan,

and it does not necessarily mean that Pretoria's name will change, the ACDP
is not in support of even putting the process in motion.


Mr. Speaker, there are various reasons why the ACDP does not support the
name change. First of all, the name "City of Tshwane" refers to the
Metropolitan Municipality as it was reflected in the first logo of Tshwane.
When the second logo was tabled for adoption, the ACDP was against the idea
of taking the words "Metropolitan Municipality" out of the logo. During the
first council meeting of the CTMM on 12 December 2000, a report was tabled
before this house. In this report it clearly states that "The City of Tshwane
Metropolitan Municipality necessitates the establishment of a corporate

identity for the new organisation."


You see Mr. Speaker, the report clearly states that the name City of Tshwane
refers to an organisation which has jurisdiction over a specific
geographical area. Various places such as Centurion, Akasia, Temba,
Ga-rankluwa and Pretoria forms part of the area in which the new
Metropolitan Municipality operates. We believe that action to change the
name of Pretoria will lead to confusion between the organisation and a small
part of the area. Geographically Pretoria is not even a third of the size
of the whole of Tshwane area.


Secondly, Pretoria is an internationally known brand. From a business, tourism

and even diplomatic perspective, we believe it is foolish to destroy the
brand Pretoria. What we as a council should do, it to market the new brand
Tshwane, which represents a much bigger area, whilst at the same time
retaining and nurturing the existing brands of Pretoria, Centurion, Akasia,
Soshanguve, Temba etc.


It is clear that this is a political ploy by the African National Congress
to gain political support before the 2004 elections. Contradicting new ANC
member, Mr. Carl Werth who said that he believes that the ANC is the only
party sincerely committed to Nation building, the ACDP believes that this
decision of the ANC is dividing the nation. The ACDP believe that history

cannot be undone and hurts can not being healed by simply renaming an
entity.


A question to the ANC, how will a possible name change to Pretoria put food
on the table of the hungry, place roofs over the heads of the homeless, and
created jobs for the unemployed? How will a name change combat crime, or
care for those suffering with HIV/AIDS?


Has the Mayoral Committee considered the immense financial cost of the
proposed name change? Direct costs such as road signs, maps, countless
letterheads etc. etc. Indirect costs include the cost of a brand lost.
Lost of tourism, damage to business, perceptions of unnecessary money

wasting. What will a potential foreign investor think of the money wasted
implementing the proposed name change? These costs are difficult to
quantify, but are in our opinion much more serious than the visible costs.


The process plan speaks of public participation. Let's ask the public of
Pretoria, not the public of Centurion, Akasia, Ga-rankuwa etc. how they feel
about such a change, seeing that it is Pretorians who will be most seriously
affected by such a change.


A name change to Pretoria as Capital of South Africa will once again cause
Africa to be the laughing stock of the world.


Thank you.


_________________________________

For more information contact Councillor Pieter de Necker on 082 788 9129



CLR. PIETER DE NECKER

African Christian Democratic Party

Cell: +27 82 788 9129

pieterdenecker@acdp.org.za